Combined desk pad and information panels



C. ROBINSON Jan. 9, 1962 COMBINED DESK PAD AND INFORMATION PANELS 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 2, 1958 INVENTOR. (fiarlerfia'msan.

Jan. 9, 1962 CFROBINSON 3,016,045

COMBINED DESK PAD AND INFORMATION PANELS Filed June 2, 1958 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. tfiarkskfimsm.

United States Patent "ice 3,016,045 COMBINED DESK PAD AND INFORMATIONPANELS Charles Robinson, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Allan E. Jordan &Associates, Pittsburgh, Pa. Filed June 2, 1958, Ser. No. 739,167

' 1 Claim. (Cl. 12024) This invention relates to a combined desk pad andinformation folder and, more particularly, relates to a desk pad whichis adapted for supporting a desk blotter and which is of suchconstruction as to provide integral information folders or panels alongthe sides of the pad which also serve to hold the blotter in place.

The conventional desk pad has diagonal corner webs or pockets forreceiving and holding the four corner portions of a desk blotter. Assuch, the pockets are useful solely for retaining the blotter in place.However, there is a great need on the part of most ofiice workers,particularly salesmen, to have readily accessible information of varioustypes. In some instances such information is placed on slips of papersslid underneath the pad or perhaps in the corner pockets. However, thelatter presents an unsightly appearance and is not satisfactory.

An object of my invention is to provide a novel desk or table pad ofsuch construction that. it may be useful for storing information, suchas charts, tables and similar material often referred to and for keepingsuch information normally concealed but readily accessible by the merepivotal movement of portions of the pad.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide a desk pad withfoldable side panels which may have contained, underneath the panels,information of various types so that such information is made readilyavailable by merely pivotally opening the panels.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will become more apparentfrom a study of the following de-- scription taken along with theaccompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a desk pad and information folderembodying the principles of the present invention and wherein the panelsare shown in the closed or normal position;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 except that the side panels are shownin the open position to permit viewing or reading of the informationcontained underneath the panel;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary cross-sectional view of one of thecorner sections of the pad shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a modified form of combined desk pad andinformation folder;

. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a still further modified type of deskpad and information folder which is foldable centrally so as to make itreadily portable, and

FIG. 6 is a view of the pad shown in FIG. 5 but showing the pad infolded condition.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 1 of the drawing, numeral 1 denotesa desk pad backing of any suitable material, such as stiff cardboardwhich is integral with side flaps or panels 2 and 3 which are pivotallymovable about pivots, such as 1a, in order to allow easy opening andclosing of the side panels.

FIG. 3 more clearly shows the pivotal construction 3,016,045 PatentedIan. 9, 1962 between the backing of the pad 1 and the panel 2, whichcomprises essentially a flexible portion 1a of reduced thickness made ofleather, plastic or paper which is sufliciently stiff so as to have atendency to automatically return the panels 2 and 3 to normal positionas shown in FIG. 1 when lifted to the position shown in FIG. 2 andreleased. On the backing portion of the pad 1 there may be printed orattached thereon, such as by glueing or otherwise, any suitableinformation, such as a calendar 4. The backing 1 may be either coveredover by a desk blotter, or not, as desired. When using the desk pad witha blotter, such blotter would extend throughout the entire width of thebacking pad 1 and would be held in place by the springiness of the sidepanels 2. and 3.

As shown more clearly in FIG. 2, there is provided underneath the sidepanel portions 2 and 3', information of any desired type, for example,charts, graphs, maps, statutes, pictures, schedules, price lists,scales, and the like to which access is frequently needed. Thisinformation may be placed both underneath the panels 2 and 3 themselves,and underneath the portions 5 and 7 of pad or backing 1 which is coveredover by the panels. The side panels 2 and 3 may be surfaced by leatheror plastic or any other desirable decorative material.

In many situations, such as when the pad is used on a desk or table in ahotel room for advertising purposes, the blotter may be omitted and acalendar or advertising may be exposed.

FIG. 4 shows a modification of the desk pad and information panelscomprising essentially a desk pad having the conventional corner pockets11. However, in accordance with the present invention, the desk pad 10is made wider than normal so as to provide extensions, such as 14, whichare covered over by foldab le panels 12 and 13. Thus it will be readilyseen that after the blotter (not shown) is inserted in the cornerpockets 11, the side panels 12 and 13 are free to be pivoted to the openposition whereby information thereunder may be readily seen and used.

Since the side panels extend along the entire height of the pad, theyprovide a substantial surface for frictionally holding the blotter (notshown) in place.

FIG. 5 shows a modified form of desk pad and information folder whereinthe side panels, such as 17 and 18, are made wide by extending themthroughout one half of the width of the desk pad, and wherein the baseor backing sheet 15 and 16 is provided with a central pivotal portion19, similar to pivot 1a, whereby the desk pad may be folded in themanner shown'in FIG. 6 and thus may be made readily portable so that itmay be carried in a brief case. This is particularly suitable forsalesmen who wish to carry information of various kinds that may bespread open to prospective purchasers.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a desk or table pad which issuitable not only for retaining a desk blotter in place, by means ofhinged side panels, but which contains information underneath the sidepanels which is readily available to the user by merely pivoting theside panels to the open position when desired; furthergreater area forstoring a greater amount of information which is normally concealed.

, While I have illustrated and described several specific embodiments-ofmy invention, it will be understood that these are by Way ofillustration only, and that various changes and modifications may bemade within the contemplation of my invention and within the scope ofthe following claim.

I claim: A combined desk pad and information folder, comprising abacking of hard cardboard having a pair of freely pivotal, stifi sidepanels extending along the entire height of the pad and across a smallfraction of the width thereof and which are integrally secured to saidbacking solely by a flexible strip portion of reduced thickness, theends of said side panels being free of connection with said backingboard, said panels constituting the sole pocket-forming means inconjunction with said backing, and printed matter contained,underneath'said side panels, said flexible strip portion of reducedthickness being sufficiently stiff so as to automatically return saidpanels to ftheir folded position when lifted and released, whereby 4 Vthe side panels will normally conceal said printed matter untilpivotally moved to the open position, in combination with a blottercompletely covering said backing and held thereto solely by the springaction of said side panels resulting from said stiffness of saidflexible strip portions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS GreatBritain June 9, 1927

